James Island is split between the Town of James Island and the City of Charleston, with Charleston County handling probate, guardianship and felony cases for the whole island. We are about forty minutes away and represent island families in estates, plans and criminal matters in the Charleston County courts.
Where a James Island case is heard
Charleston County's probate court and judicial center are on Broad Street in downtown Charleston; bond hearings are held at the detention center in North Charleston. The county is its own judicial circuit, so a Charleston County charge is prosecuted by a different solicitor's office than a Dorchester or Berkeley charge.
Bond hearings for James Island arrests are at the Al Cannon Detention Center in North Charleston.
Charleston County Probate Court
100 Broad Street, Suite 469 (Historic Courthouse, 84 Broad Street), Charleston, SC 29401 · (843) 958-5180 · Website
Estates, guardianships and conservatorships for Charleston County residents, including North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, West Ashley, James Island and Johns Island.
Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center (Charleston County)
3841 Leeds Avenue, North Charleston, SC 29405 · (843) 202-7200 · Website
Bond hearings for Charleston County arrests.
Charleston County Judicial Center (Clerk of Court; General Sessions and Common Pleas)
100 Broad Street, Suite 106, Charleston, SC 29401 · (843) 958-5000 · Website
Two governments, one county
Whether a James Island ticket is heard in the town's municipal court or Charleston's depends on which police agency wrote it; the county court question is simpler—everything is Charleston County. We sort the jurisdiction out on the first call.
How we help James Island families
- Estate planning — wills, revocable trusts, powers of attorney and living wills drafted for South Carolina law and recorded in Charleston County where required.
- Probate and estate administration — opening, administering and closing estates in the Charleston County Probate Court, small-estate affidavits, and disputes when they arise.
- Guardianship and conservatorship — for an aging parent or a minor, contested or not.
- Criminal defense — bond hearings at the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center in North Charleston, misdemeanors in magistrate and municipal court, and felonies in Charleston County General Sessions, defended by a former officer.
- Personal injury — car, truck and motorcycle crashes and dog bites, through our dedicated injury site.
Getting to our office from James Island
Follow Folly Road (SC-171) to SC-30, then Courtenay Drive, Septima P. Clark Parkway (US-17), I-26, North Main Street (US-17A), West 2nd South Street, Central Avenue, South Laurel Street, West Carolina Avenue, and turn onto Linwood Lane. The drive is about 31 miles and 44 minutes in normal traffic.
Directions from James Island in Google Maps
About James Island
| County | Charleston County |
|---|---|
| Status | Town of James Island and City of Charleston |
| ZIP codes | 29412 |
| Population (2020 census) | 11,621 |
| Landmarks | McLeod Plantation Historic Site (Charleston County Parks); Fort Johnson (site of the first shot of the Civil War); Riverland Terrace (oak-lined entrance); neighborhoods incl. Stiles Point, Harbor Woods |
Live in James Island? Call Frost first.
Consultations at our Summerville office, or by phone and video when the drive is not worth it.
Questions people ask
Which probate court handles an estate for a James Island address?
The Charleston County Probate Court in Charleston. Estates are opened in the county where the person lived at death.
Where is the bond hearing after an arrest in James Island?
At the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center in North Charleston, usually within 24 hours of a warrant arrest.
Do you meet clients in James Island?
Consultations are at our Summerville office or by phone and video. For estate-plan signings we can sometimes arrange a meeting closer to you; ask when you call.
Related pages
Estate planning
Wills, trusts, powers of attorney and living wills for South Carolina families.
Learn moreProbate
Estate administration, executor guidance, small estates, disputes and guardianship.
Learn moreCriminal defense
Drug charges, domestic violence, bond, warrants, traffic and expungements.
Learn more